This invention relates to a beer display, keg cooler. More particularly, this invention relates to a structure for effectively providing an indicia of beer, for securely holding a beer keg, for facilitating convenient access, for providing easy storage and transportation, and for maintaining a self-enclosed, environmentally isolated cooler.
The basic concept of a beer keg cooler is to maintain a uniformly cool temperature of beer within the keg. This has been traditionally accomplished in the past through a cooler structure approximately the size and configuration of the beer keg and made of various insulating material. The structure thus adds an additional layer of insulation for keeping the beer keg separate from the elements of open atmosphere. In some instances, a compartment partially or entirely surrounding the beer keg but still within the cooler structure, is provided for holding a coolant such as ice to act as a cooling agent on the keg contents.
At least some problems associated with beer keg cooler structures of the prior art have been that in almost all instances, they are oblique and angular in corresponding to the configuration of a beer keg contained therein, approximately the relative size of a standard beer keg, and have protruding handle bars. These features tend to create a number of undesirable effects when making use of the cooler.
An oblique or angular cooler construction is more likely to receive the full force of external impact through which the cooler structure may be dented or otherwise extensively damaged. The oblique structure is less able to deflect the impact generated through external forces. Dents or other damage to the shell of a cooler structure may in turn diminish the cooler's effectiveness in holding the beer keg inside and in maintaining the temperature of the keg contents.
Furthermore, a cooler structure approximately the size of a beer keg does not reach sufficient height to enable convenient access to the keg contents, especially through a tab and pump at the top of the cooler. A cooler structure having the height of a standard keg requires a stronger pump mechanism for piping the beer through a longer vertical distance to a dispenser. Furthermore, the keg is poorly situated in the cooler such that maneuvering of the same in and out of the cooler is made difficult. The keg is deeply set at a base level, and many times not flush with a top edge of the cooler in which case access thereto is made more difficult.
A cooler structure with protruding handles separate from the main body of the cooler is more susceptive to breakage of the handles near or on the point of linkage between each handle and the cooler main body. An assembly made of a plurality of parts coupled together is more fragile than an assembly having an integral structure. Furthermore, protruding parts from a body are likely to constitute a potential hazard during transportation of the cooler holding a beer keg.
The cooler structures in the past often do not provide a sufficiently self-enclosed environment in containing a beer keg. When toppled or tipped, either beer or other coolants may be easily spilled to cause a mess. Even when a lid is provided, the lid is oftentimes not securely attached via reliable means, or it may not itself be insulated.
In addition to structural deficiencies in previously known beer keg coolers little, if any, attention has been devoted to the concept of a cooler and beer displayer unit so as to generate an indicia of beer effectively. A carton box may be used to hold a beer keg and to support the beer keg; however, it does not effectively provide an indicia of the contents. An ordinary glass may be used to hold beer, but it is not closely associated with any indicia of beer. An effective beer display structure not only has to securely support beer contents, but also through its structure maximize and enhance the impression of certain indicias of beer.
The problems and limitations suggested in the preceding are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are among many which may tend to reduce the effectiveness of beer keg coolers of the prior art. Other noteworth problems may also exist; however, those presented above should be sufficient to demonstrate that beer display structures and beer keg coolers of the prior art have not been altogether satisfactory.